Sources of dioxin emissions into the air in Western Europe
report
Starting around the middle of the eighties, research on the formation and fate of the highly toxic dioxins has received increased attention. Improvements in analytical techniques allowed for the separate quantification of the different congeners at very low detection limits in various matrices. Many processes with a potential for dioxin formation have been investigated since then. In this report, published data has been used to provide information about dioxin emissions into the air ofthe known source categories, in six European countries. It is currently not possible, due to the complicated reaction mechanisms involved in the formation of dioxins, to predict emission rates theoretically. The observed variation of dioxin emissions from comparable processes can be very large. Thus, extrapolation of data, established at a specific installation, to a different (almost)
similar installation is not possible at present. For this reason, the accuracy of an inventory like this one, is dependent on the availability and accuracy of measured (and published) emission data and production figures of processes. In this survey, comprising Germany, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden, the completeness ofthese data is at present insufllcient, to accurately calculate total national emissions of dioxins into the atmosphere. However the available specific emission data, for a large part established in German, Dutch and Swedish investigations, does provide a reasonable view on the relative contribution of the various source categories considered.
similar installation is not possible at present. For this reason, the accuracy of an inventory like this one, is dependent on the availability and accuracy of measured (and published) emission data and production figures of processes. In this survey, comprising Germany, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden, the completeness ofthese data is at present insufllcient, to accurately calculate total national emissions of dioxins into the atmosphere. However the available specific emission data, for a large part established in German, Dutch and Swedish investigations, does provide a reasonable view on the relative contribution of the various source categories considered.
Topics
TNO Identifier
254094
Publisher
TNO
Collation
82 p.
Place of publication
Apeldoorn